Are Google planning a pay-for-news service?

As most right-thinking web users prepare to turn their backs on the The Times and its wretched paywall, it seems that Rupert Murdoch’s attempt to get us to fork out for online content could be the first drip that turns into a stream that then becomes a raging torrent – with Google in among it all and overseeing things.

According to paidContent, Google could be launching a pay-for-news system (codenamed ‘Newspass’) by the end of the year, and is sounding out publishers in an attempt to get them to sign up to be part of it.

paidContent are quoting a story in Italian paper La Repubblica, and according to them…

“La Repubblica says that, with Newspass, people will be able to log-in to the sites of participating news publishers using a single login. Publishers will be able to designate what type of payment they want to accept, including subscriptions and micropayments. People who find content from participating publishers in Google search will see a paywall icon next to that content and be able to purchase access directly from there using Checkout.”

As you’d expect, Google are keeping quiet on this one and they only statement in response to the story has been…

“We’ve consistently said we are talking with news publishers to figure out ways we can work together, including whether we can help them with technology to power any subscription services they may be thinking of building. Our aim, as with all Google products, would be to reach as broad a global audience as possible. We don’t pre-announce products and don’t have anything to announce at this time.”

Interesting, though, isn't it, that Murdoch's trying his hardest to stop the BBC from having sufficient funds to do the job it currently does so well. If he succeeds, he'll stand a better chance of making charges for The Times stick.
How have we allowed this man to become so powerful?